Optical properties of sulfur copolymers for infrared applications

The development of organic polymers with high refractive indices has been widely investigated, as a possible alternative to inorganic metal oxide, semiconductor, or chalcogenide-based materials for a variety of optical devices and components, such as waveguides, anti-reflective coatings, charge-coupled devices and fiber optic cables. In principle, organic-based polymers are attractive for these applications because of their low weight, ease of processing, mechanical toughness, and facile chemical variation using commercially available precursors. However, one of the fundamental challenges associated with organic polymers is their generally low refractive indices in comparison to their inorganic counterparts. Herein we report on the optical characterization of a new class of sulfur copolymers that are readily moldable, transparent above 500nm, possess high refractive index (n < 1.8) and take advantage of the low infrared absorption of S-S bonds for potential use in the mid-infrared at 3-5 microns. These materials are largely made from elemental sulfur by an inverse vulcanization process; in the current study we focus on the properties of a chemically stable, branched copolymer of poly(sulfur-random-1, 3-diisopropenylbenzene) (poly(S-r-DIB). Copolymers with elemental sulfur content ranging from 50% to 80% by weight were studied by UV-VIS spectroscopy, FTIR, and prism coupling for refractive index measurement. Clear correlation between material composition and the optical properties was established, confirming that the high polarizability of the sulfur atom leads to high refractive index while also maintaining low optical loss. Applications of the materials for bulk optics, high-density photonic circuits, and infrared components will also be discussed.